Inside Athletics

Pamplin Sports Center

The history of Lewis & Clark’s home basketball
and volleyball courts has been varied and colorful since the
move to Palatine Hill. In the first year of renewed
conference membership, the team practiced at Collins View Grade
School. They actually played some of their games there since there
was no gymnasium on the new Fir Acres campus. In the first
two years, most L&C home league games were played in the old
Jefferson High School gymnasium in North Portland.

The College’s new gymnasium (where Zehntbauer Swimming
Pavilion now stands) was completed in time for the 1947-48
season. It had an unusual plywood floor and seated 1,200
fans. A fire on September 12, 1966, destroyed the gym and most of
its contents. For the next three seasons, the Pioneers became
the Vagabonds. They practiced and played games in 16 different
school gyms, ranging from Scappoose on the north to Centennial High
in Gresham on the east. Most practices were at night, although the
teams sometimes worked out in the afternoon in the tiny Riverdale
Grade School gym near the campus. Home games were at Jackson and
West Linn High Schools and at the University of Portland’s
Howard Hall. Spacious Pamplin Sports Center was completed in the
spring of 1969 and dedicated that June. The facility seats
2,200.

The fall of 2007 brought the first of several upgrades to the
facility. A brand new gym floor was installed over the summer, with
the new floor spanning the entire width of the room, creating the
opportunity for three hardwood courts for varsity practices,
intramurals, and recreational uses. The floor came from Connor
Hardwood Courts and meets or exceeds all Athletic Performance
requirements according to the international standard DIN 18032 Part
2, 2001. The floor’s finger jointed matched MFMA Norther Hard
Maple is installed over a plywood sub floor and pad system
designed to reduce the likelihood of impact injuries and damage to
the joints and provide a uniform playing surface. It is finished
with 2 coard Hillyard seal and 2 coats finish.

The facility also features 2,3000 comfortable padded bleacher
seats. One side of the bleachers features individual seat backs,
while the other side is all bench seating.

A brand new state of the art Daktronics color smart scoreboard
system was installed in the summer of 2009. The scoreboards are
located on the wall of both baselines, with one board featuring
player stat panels. Shot clocks are placed on the backboard of both
baskets.